Is it civil to ask loaded questions, in hopes of getting a debate going?

Hard to answer this. The preference is always to put forth your own opinion on whatever the topic is. If you don't have any view on the matter at all, I suppose you could just ask a question. But that seems unlikely, if the topic is controversial. Asking a question in the hopes of getting someone else to reply only so you can then jump them would be a bit.. cowardly.

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"Of those who say nothing, few are silent." -- Thomas Neill

Hard to answer this. The preference is always to put forth your own opinion on whatever the topic is. If you don't have any view on the matter at all, I suppose you could just ask a question. But that seems unlikely, if the topic is controversial. Asking a question in the hopes of getting someone else to reply only so you can then jump them would be a bit.. cowardly.

If the topic isnt controversial, there wouldnt be anything to debate.
I think thats the core problem overall, and its something we still havent addressed directly, in either P&N or here.

Thats why I was surprised to see a separate Debate forum.

What I am getting from you is you'd like us to ask basic, direct questions with as little venom as possible.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by tommo123

what? you came from your fathers balls but he didn't stop existing once he dropped his load

I understand the main emphasis, but what about things like metacognition, that is how we think about thinking and the associated processes. We think and we believe, but why? I consider such discussions relevant to how we approach things. Is that proper here?

There are no specific content inclusions or inclusions for this forum, except that I'd imagine the admins would prefer that tech-related arguments be kept to the appropriate tech forums (e.g., "the new AMD chip is going to be great" / "the new AMD chip is going to suck").

Some threads will be more concrete, some more abstract. That's cool with me. Of course, if a thread is so abstract or so specific to the poster, not much discussion may ensue...

The primary purpose of this place is to be able to present a viewpoint without getting a response like "typical liberal" or "conservatives are all paranoid or "how much are they paying you" -- or worse.

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"Of those who say nothing, few are silent." -- Thomas Neill

I understand the main emphasis, but what about things like metacognition, that is how we think about thinking and the associated processes. We think and we believe, but why? I consider such discussions relevant to how we approach things. Is that proper here?

Short and direct answer: Absolutely! Note the forum's subtle but significant name change.

Folks, this is an ongoing experiment we all hope succeeds. We simply want a place where thoughtful and intelligent discussion can proceed absent bad acting, deliberate trolling, and unwarranted and unwelcome personal attacks.

Welcome to the Discussion Club!

__________________“If you do what everyone else does, you get what everyone else gets.”

Perknose, beyond one's post, will this also include presented avatars and signatures? There are a few around with the intention to provoke and offend.

The mission for respectful civility all around is a wonderful baseline.

Good question. This forum is in the hands of its supremely capable moderators, CharlesKozierok and EagleKeeper. I am sure that they will invite those posters who insist on using their avatars and signatures to provoke or offend to post elsewhere.

__________________“If you do what everyone else does, you get what everyone else gets.”

The issue of signatures and avatars was discussed at some point. The decision was made not to get involved in that, because they are site-wide and we don't think people should have to tailor the only things that give them some personality on the site to the dictates of this room.

I suppose an exception might be if someone puts something in there specific to this room that's designed to cause trouble, but I believe that was always grounds for the admins to edit it anyway.

Shorty, no you do not have follow the rules for an official debate, because there are no such rules. There are guidelines we'd like everyone to follow to keep discussions at a high level, but they aren't formal debate procedures.

I just posted a new set of guidelines EK and I came up with, and an open discussion thread for some. Both are stickied.

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"Of those who say nothing, few are silent." -- Thomas Neill

no you do not have follow the rules for an official debate, because there are no such rules. There are guidelines

Like the pirate code?

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The fundamental ethos of Christianity is tolerance, turning the other cheek, caring for those in need, etc., but that is not what today's Christianity is about. We can say we're about loving our neighbor until we're blue in the face, but unless our actions start matching our words, it's meaningless.